Gut-Behrami wins Killington GS

Photo: Gut-Behrami. Killington. GEPA pictures.

With a much faster second-run Austrian W. Grabner course set, the women showed just how courageous they are. It dared the women to push their line and attack while providing plenty of challenge.

As usual, at the end of the race, the stars are shining at the top of the results. Today’s winner is former World Cup overall champion and reigning GS world champion, Swiss athlete Lara Gut-Behrami. Gut-Behrami improved on her second run to win her first World Cup giant slalom in more than six years.

“I’m really happy,” Gut-Behrami said after her 35th World Cup victory but only her fifth in giant slalom. “The last two years I’ve been getting better in GS again. I won the title but I was improving my GS every race.”

Gut-Behrami was third in the opening run on the course in Killington, Vermont, but just did enough to edge out Marta Bassino of Italy by 0.07 seconds. Defending Olympic champion Sara Hector, who had led after the opening run, was third — 0.20 behind Gut-Behrami.

“I think here my best place was like 19th place and I usually always struggle with the wind, I don’t have a great feeling on the snow,” Gut-Behrami said.

“But today I was just free and I’m happy that already at the beginning of the season I’m able to ski that way. It’s great, it’s a good way to start the season.”

One of the day’s big stories is Albanian’s 2004 Lara Colturi. Starting with bib 58, she finished 17th. Colturi moved up ten spots on the second run. The other big move on the second run came from Italian Roberta Melesi. By winning the second run, she moved up 18 spots and finished 11th.

Unfortunately, today was a challenge for US star Mikaela Shiffrin. It appeared during both runs she was struggling to find the rhythm on the pitch. Today the superstar finished well off the pace in 13th place. However, expect her to bounce back quickly. She knows how to compete and will adapt rapidly.

In the past, Shiffrin had finished second, third, fourth, and fifth in giant slaloms in Killington but has won all five World Cup slaloms held there.

She will be the favorite to make it six out of six in the slalom on Sunday. It would be Shiffrin’s 50th World Cup win in that discipline. No other skier has won more titles in a single event than the 27-year-old Shiffrin.

Paula Moltzan skied two very solid runs today and showed she will be a force in GS this season by finishing 18th.

Additionally, it is exciting to see Nina O’Brien competing again at a world-class level. After finishing the first run 26th she was able to be 18th fastest on the second run to finish 23rd overall.

Katie Hensien showed her speed by qualifying for the second run with bib 49 and scoring her first World Cup GS points with a 27th-place finish.

O’Brien says her leg is feeling strong and she is very excited to be back ski racing. O’Brien says “I am confident and ready to go.”

After scoring her first World Cup GS points, Hensien says, “It feels really good, especially in front of the home crowd. I gave it my all on the first run and pretty much shocked myself.”

Moltzan was truly happy after the race. She commented on the fun the women’s tech team is experiencing this year.

Once again the crowd is a big part of the Killington story.

Analysis of top 3 and US athletes

Final Killington GS result 11/26/2022

The Associated Press and Ski Racing Media contributed to this coverage.

This is a developing story, stay tuned for updates.